Secret Blog for Killing Track and Parkrun PBs

The last few weeks have been mostly on grass and run at three paces: Lower limit threshold runs: 5km-10km (on grass is just under 4mins/km) ; Upper limit threshold intervals (on grass is 3:30-3:10/km for intervals 2km-800m with longer recoveries slowly being reduced to 1 minute) ; Long lactate intervals (on grass 800m 2:32-2:37 with 1 minute recovery). Yesterday was my first test on track of 1200m @ 5000m pace in exactly 3:48...felt really good and fluid compared to the grass, twists and small rises of Stromlo. The last 2 weeks have been 110km and 120km. The foot is still a problem but well under control and improving slowly...new shoes, lots of ice and back/hamstring stretching. I expect to be back on track racing next 2 Thursdays in a couple of 5000m, have two XC tests at Stromlo planned before Nationals over 4km & 5km. Talk again in a week or two.

Back to Stromlo this morning on my own although surrounded by many. A progressive 10km on the 2km loop. Splits: 9:18, 8:34, 8:13, 7:57, 8:01. 2km of warming up and down. Watched the finish of the running festival 10km with Michelle 3rd female. The fastest female 3rd overall. Another late run for me will make 20km for the day. The feet still a little sore. Nothing on the track for me yet.

This morning normal squad activities at Stromlo from 8am. Just the six of us included 4 x 100m, 4 x 500m with 500m jog recovery followed by 1000m. Kathy all efforts @ 4min/km (paced by me) and a 1km 4:27. The boys much quicker. 2 hours later the Stromlo Running Festival Age Sex Adjusted 7.5km xc. Quite a few of us ran with Kathy S 2nd female, Helen 4th female, Maria not far behind. On age standard both sexes combined Me 5th, Kathy S 4th, Sue 3rd and our Victorian friend Lavinia either 2nd or 1st, Rown Walker either 2nd or 1st, David Clarke definitely not 1st, a mix up. The top 5 on age standard around 15 seconds apart in total. Of me: Day off yesterday the foot sore. With squad duty this morning was well warmed up with the foot working ok. Had a huge tussle with young Torley and a young triathlete. Triathlete pulled out with a lap to go leaving two of us to swap surges and decide 7th overall. I tried two long efforts and broke free with 1km to go. 14 seconds slower than last year, p

Spent the evening helping out at track, not much on event wise, reason I opted for this meet. Highlight for distance events came late in the form of the spiral handicap. Helen vs Kathy vs Cheryl...Helen too good this evening, rounded them all up to finish 10th. Of me: Ran to work and back, another 18km in the legs. Almost back to where I started regarding endurance, well short on speed. Will have to be patient and wait until I can start true speed sessions again...still plenty of time.

Only 10km today all at Stromlo doing an intervals session and watching the criterium races adjacent. I heard one female rider in a breakaway with another girl exclaim 'we can't do it, it's too windy!'...and it was. Of me: 2km warm up, 4 x 500m on the 1km loop, 2 x 1km on the 2km loop, 1km warm down. Looks like I will give the Stromlo Running Festival 7.5km XC race a crack on Saturday morning even if a bit underdone. Our group is moving venue to Stromlo for the next few weeks to get some distance into the legs before AMA championships. The girls are rocking over 800m but not so in the longer races thanks to the record summer heat.

The three girls today weary from Sprint Marathon Relay. A paced (by me) 1400m @ 4:00/km. Before and after 4-5 x 100m strides. Of me: All of the above plus a lower threshold 25 minute run over Mt Painter and back. 17km for the day. A harder long interval session tmoz. In honour of Gotye and his three Grammy an old post from Tour de France 2012. In Rambouillet on the last day, the depart into Paris. I heard Gotye over the loud speakers and recorded audio from that. The video came from Caz and myself. If you look in the window during the pancake scene you can see a reflection of Caz.

12km in the morning session at Stromlo XC Circuit including 4 x 100m, 5km in three efforts (6:00, 8:00, 2:27=16:27) 1 minute recovery between efforts. Really struggled on the first effort. The foot getting better, still tender. An 8km loosener in the afternoon makes it 3 days at full volume again. Should be another couple of weeks until feeling quick again. Looking more likely now to race at Stromlo on Saturday in the 7.5km age adjusted XC Stromlo Running Festival. I can't race this Thursday at track, on duty to officiate.

Out at Stromlo again this morning for a 5km lower threshold run. Splits: 4:58, 4:40, 3:57, 4:17, 4:01. From there onto Sprint Marathon Relay to watch and cheer on while running another 8km. An 8km loosener in the afternoon at Aranda. Wearing old shoes today, the feet much better. Damn those new Brooks shoes...in the bin.

No I won't be taking part but will be there to to photo, video and cheer on. Before that some time spent at Stromlo again on the grass. Will see how the foot is, day by day. Today two runs and a volume near normal again. 11km+7km=18km. The first run of the day slow at Bruce Ridge. The second the Aranda normal, quite a bit quicker. A good diet has the weight back around 56kg again. Hoping for 120km this week, no speed work planned. Keith did a step up session on track. All others resting, chatting, jogging, preparing for Sprint Marathon Relay. From 2011...On Sprint Marathon Relay Eve spent almost 5 hours at Tilleys Devine Cafe.

On Thursday Emma, Maria, Helen, Kathy in the ACTVAC club 800m championships. The latter three did a 600m tt on Tuesday...exactly the same results on Thursday...logical I guess, Emma a talent extraordinaire, also in the 400m. Haven't seen the full results of the evening, will publish later. Of me: Ran every day, even if only 1km. Have done massive hot / cold therapy, manipulation, rest without rest or active rest. This evening on grass at Stromlo 6km: Splits: 9:55, 9:05, 8:10= 27:10...three curry, countless sushi and +2kg later...take every day as it comes, keep on listening, show restraint and think about the end game before all of that...waiting for the foot to get better

Helen, Kathy and Maria on Tuesday. An 800m specific session of 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m as a warm up followed by a 600m time trial paced by me at 2:48 pace. Maria 2:50 pace, Helen 2:52 pace, Kathy 3:00 pace. Of me: Aside from the 600m tt I paced did nothing on the track. Yesterday and today only 40 minutes, the weight up to 57.5kg. The foot slowly getting better but no hope of speed work in the next week. Back to basics for me. Will keep listening to my body and adjust the volume accordingly. Will go back into base building mode with the aim only to race at Nationals, possibly the ACTVAC 5000m championships 10 days before that. Not entering the 1500m, just 10000m, 5000m, XC. I have already entered the Stromlo 7.5km XC in 10 days time...looking unlikely to start.

I can't see this thing stopping for a while yet...while there are those still hiding there will be those seeking the truth. From my perspective only a small percent is out there...it all comes down to how much do you want to know the truth, how much truth do you want to know!! Global Zero Of me: Only 1km today so almost a day off. I am of mind to not even race until the AMA Championships this evening even though I know I could run 20km tmoz...really not the point. My body needs rest, ice and some tactile manipulation. Whether one day or ten I will take a breath of fresh air. Another lie!

Friday was champagne and niceness with Helen and John, only 25 mins running. Saturday was cold and windy as I recall. We all did 3 x 1000m on a 10 minute cycle. I had Emma and Garry for help, Helen & Maria, Kathy had Helen & Maria for the last two efforts. Keith nobody. Helen and Keith the most impressive. Rocksalt for brunch. Most did. Sunday was salmon on fritters as I recall. We all ran at Mulligans, we all did different distances, I mistook lets go to the beach in cold weather for two flat white and a mugachino...oh and my foot is still sore...

Similar race to last year but a fair bit slower and hotter (28 degrees) and some wind for the first few laps before the sun set. From the start I had Jonno trailing me by a couple of seconds. We've had a few races together, usually not much between us...last 10km in Sydney he flogged me in similar conditions. I ran the first 3200m spot on at 80s as planned. Behind me Jonno was hanging off between 2-4 seconds back, I tried not to let him onto my heels. On lap 9 I took my first water stop and an 85 second lap which let Jonno close in again. An 81 on the next lap and I was on my own with the gap growing each lap. It was just survival until the end. I visited the water stop almost every lap from 9-24, usually with just a cup on the head...Kathy and Geoff did a great job handing out the drinks. 34:14 not a great time. I eventually lapped Jonno with 4 to go. Helen like all of us suffered in the heat but still managed a 44 or a minute off what she did in the Hour run despite being much f